Danielle Fishel Confirms Ben Savage Won’t Be at ‘DWTS’ Dedication Night: Inside Their Falling Out

Several of Danielle Fishel’s Boy Meets World costars will be surrounding her during Dancing With the Stars Dedication Night, but one will be noticeably absent: Ben Savage.

Fishel, 44, shared via Instagram on Monday, October 13, that eight of her former castmates would be watching her and partner Pasha Pashkov in the ballroom, including Will Friedle, Matthew Lawrence, Betsy Randle, William Russ, Trina McGee, Bonnie Bartlett and Alex Désert.

“The fabulous group of people who will be joining me at DWTS tomorrow for Dedication night!” Fishel wrote. “I feel such an overwhelming responsibility to give a full out, joyous, celebratory dance to the man who is responsible for THOUSANDS of people becoming teachers and who has helped raise multiple generations. This dance is a dedication from me to Bill but I am representing ALL OF YOU who loved and appreciated him and his career for so many decades.”

Fishel explained that former costar Rider Strong wouldn’t be in attendance because he is “working out of town,” adding that he “will be missed.”

“This is our Coachella,” the official Instagram account for Fishel’s “Pod Meets World” rewatch podcast with Strong, 45, and Friedle, 49, wrote in the comments section.

Fishel shared earlier this month that she would be dedicating a dance to Bill Daniels, who played Mr. Feeny in the series. During an episode of her “Danielle With the Stars” podcast, Fishel said she and Pashkov, 39, would be performing a jive to the Boy Meets World theme song. She explained that Daniels, for his part, will be “on the ballroom floor with us and he’s going to participate in the dance as well.”

Boy Meets World, which premiered in 1993, centered around Savage as Cory Matthews, who is beginning adulthood. The show also starred Friedle as older brother Eric, Strong as best friend Shawn Hunter and Fishel as love interest Topanga Lawrence. Throughout it all, Cory looks to teacher and neighbor George Feeny (Daniels) for help.

Fishel, Strong and Friedle have since reunited for the rewatch podcast — and revealed that Savage decided he did not want to participate.

“We talked about it all, the four of us. It was something we all were back and forth, ‘What’s the best way to do it?’ because that was before the ‘Office Ladies.’ It was before this was its own genre,” Fishel exclusively told Us Weekly in July 2022. “And so we talked about all the different ways we could do it. And at the end of our conversations, Ben said, ‘I just don’t think it’s for me.’ And we get it. So we’re respecting his decision. And if he eventually wants to come on, we’ll leave that door open.”

The following year, Savage ran for United States Senate. Friedle went on to reveal that he had not spoken to his former costar in three years.

“He disappeared — I wish I knew why, to this day,” Friedle told Variety at the time. “We didn’t have a fight. There’s no falling out. There was no animosity. He just woke up one day and decided ‘I don’t want this person in my life anymore.’”

Friedle alleged that he had attempted to reach out to Savage multiple times, but had not received a response.

“I’ve known him since he was 11 years old, and we have a shared history. And we were doing these conventions together, and we were getting to know each other as adults, and then he just kind of went, ‘I’m done with you,’” he shared, admitting that their estrangement is a “sore subject” to talk about. “I tried and tried and tried for months, until finally my wife was like, ‘Why are you doing this to yourself? He obviously doesn’t want you in his life.’”

Savage has not publicly discussed why he is not in contact with Fishel, Strong and Friedle. In a February episode of the podcast, Maitland Ward accused Fishel, Strong and Friedle of hating Savage — an idea that they denied.

“Ben is one of the most important people I’ve ever met in my life, and I can’t stand the fact that he won’t speak to us. And that’s what it is: He won’t speak to us,” Friedle said before alleging “in the middle of a conversation with Ben, he just bailed on me.”

Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+ Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.

Prove your DWTS fandom with Us Weekly and Bracketology.tv! Compete against other fans and Us editors in the Bracketology DWTS fantasy league this season to predict which pairs will make it to the finale for season 34. Get access to exclusive content, stats and a chance to win prizes. Join the league for free today!